1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gate assembly, and more particularly, to a high security gate assembly for preventing keyless ingress into, and enabling keyless egress from, a secure or restricted area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
So-called pre-exit gates suffer from misalignments due to ground deformations as resulting from frost-thaw cycles. Persons charged with activity within a secure area often require a safe egress route from the secure area in the event of an emergency. Misaligned gate assemblies can result in an unsafe egress route insofar as the gate may have become misaligned and thus difficult, if not impossible, to open in a short time required in the event of an emergency. Gate assemblies for use at secure areas should provide certain means for preventing unauthorized access or ingress to a restricted or secure area, and further provide reliable keyless or tool-less exit or egress from the secure area. Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to gates, gate assemblies, and associated latch means are briefly described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,280 ('280 patent), which issued to Godec et al., discloses a panic exit latch and actuator mechanism including an elongated latch bolt actuator element rectilinearly movable along its axis and disposed in an elongated horizontally extending housing traversing a door. A push plate is supported for movement outwardly and inwardly relative to the housing. A pair of bell cranks provides an operative connection between the push plate and the actuator element to move the actuator element from its latch projected position to its latch retracted position in response to inward movement of the push plate. The bell cranks are mounted for pivotal movement about their apices in the housing, one crank being mounted adjacent either end of the housing. The pivotal axes of the bell cranks extend generally transversely to the direction of motion of the latch bolt actuator element. Each bell crank includes an arm pivotally connected to the latch bolt actuator element and arm pivotally connected to the push plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,396 ('396 patent), which issued to Zvi et al., discloses a security gate apparatus for securing building openings in the nature of window and door openings are disclosed; and comprise a security gate including gate-carried locking means which, while of particularly sturdy construction and effective to render it extremely difficult if not impossible as a practical matter to open the security gate from without the building opening, are nonetheless virtually foolproof in operation, and which are very readily and conveniently openable from within the building, even by those of somewhat limited mental and/or physical capacities, in readily apparent manner to thereby insure virtually immediate exit from the building through the building opening for the building occupants in emergency situations. Fixed security means are operatively associated with the security gate, and are of readily and conveniently adjustable extent; to thereby enable the ready adjustment in situ of the size of the security gate apparatus, and provide for significant versatility of application of the security gate apparatus with regard to the range of sizes of the building openings which may be effectively secured thereby.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,528 ('528 patent), which issued to Handel et al., discloses an emergency exit device of the push bar type to control entry and exit of personnel, including a crossbar which may be pushed toward a door to actuate mechanisms which retract a latch bolt, and an alarm and key system for selective alarm actuation. The alarm and key system includes internal control mechanisms which are mounted in a tamper-proof housing, which may be accessed only by operating the push bar and actuating the alarm. A light emitting diode in the alarm assembly indicates alarm state, the presence of power, and a preset delay interval for alarm actuation. A variety of internal and external key operation configurations may be employed. A fastening arrangement for the exit device housing provides security against unauthorized manipulation of alarm components. Where mounting the alarm assembly within the exit device frame, an internal mounted guard member may include a protection flange to block access to the alarm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,117 ('117 patent), which issued to Doxey, discloses a door locking system for attachment to an outwardly opening door which engages the door frame and which has a panic bar movable towards the door for disengaging the locking system. The locking device includes an outer sleeve fixedly mounted to the interior surface of the door and extending over one side of the door frame. An inner sleeve is provided within the outer sleeve which is pulled against a spring to a door frame engagement position, wherein inner sleeve extends over the other side of the door frame to prevent the door from being opened. A catch on the panic bar retains the inner sleeve in the engagement position, and movement of the panic bar towards the door causes the inner sleeve to retract into the outer sleeve, thereby allowing the door to be opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,451 ('451 patent), which issued to Merryman, discloses a door latch push bar assembly for providing a push bar for unlatching a door latch such as the type found on storm doors. The door latch push bar assembly includes a mounting bracket and an elongate rod having a pair of opposite ends. A first of the ends of the rod is pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is designed for mounting to a door adjacent a first side of the door. A second of the ends of the rod is designed for extending towards a second side of the door and for receiving a free end of pivotable lever of a latch adjacent the second side of the door releasably engaging the second side of the door to an adjacent portion of a door frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,897 ('897 patent), which issued to Locher, discloses a push-bar for doors in general, which comprises a bar element provided, at its ends, with couplings for connection to a door; the particularity of said push-bar is the fact that it is provided with a threaded bar which is arranged inside the bar element, each end of said bar element being connected to lever means which are in turn pivoted at one end to the bar element and, at the other end, to a pusher whose rotation as a consequence of a pressure applied to the bar element causes the rotation of a pawl which is adapted to engage the pivot of the lock of the door in order to turn it for opening, an empty space being provided between the bar element and the surface of the door to which the bar element is connected
U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,411 ('411 patent), which issued to Rowan, discloses a security bar that can be retrofitted onto a gate used in a typical fence construction to prevent unauthorized tampering with or opening of the gate. The device includes a rigid locking bar that is firmly mounted to the gate, a T-shaped strike plate, and a key-actuated latchbolt mechanism mounted within the inside of the rigid locking bar so that the latchbolt and strike plate cannot be accessed for tampering. The strike plate is mounted to a conventional fence post with fasteners that are not accessible when the gate is closed. Using the present device, which can be retrofitted to any type of outdoor gate, a positive locking action insures that the gate is locked at all times and cannot be jimmied or pulled upward to a position that would allow it to be opened. The locking mechanism allows access from either side of the gate for actuation.
It may thus be seen that the prior art perceives a need for a gate assembly having means for preventing gate assembly misalignments as originating from ground deformations and the like. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high security gate assembly having means for preventing gate assembly misalignments, for preventing keyless entry or ingress into a secure area, and for enabling keyless or tool-less exit or egress from a secure area as set forth in more detail hereinafter.